1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a protector for fingernails after nail polish has been applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Persons who apply fingernail polish to their fingers or who have fingernail polish applied during a manicure must allow the polish to dry before handling or touching objects. Because fingernail polish remains tacky for a considerable time, people with newly polished fingernails often find that they must use their fingers before the polish is completely dry, or they find themselves inadvertently brushing one or more fingers against an object, resulting in defacing of the smooth polish finish, and possibly necessitating removal of the polish and recoating with a new layer of polish.
A number of fingernail protectors have been designed to prevent marring or scratching of freshly applied or tacky fingernail polish. For example, the fingernail cap of Kosal (U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,631) has a closed tip completely encasing the nail and fingertip and a longitudinal slit to allow the cap to conform to a fingertip. Other elongated tubular protectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,908,881; 4,960,138; and 4,972,857.
The fingernail protector of Dethman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,066) has a finger support flange, a strap connected to a semicircular shell and a semicircular cover defining a cylinder and hinged together to cover the fingernail area. The fingernail protector of Stanczak (U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,174) has an upper and a lower shell secured together at their forward ends and latch means of rigid latch rods.
Each of the above fingernail protectors covers the lower portion of the fingertip so that it is difficult to use the fingertip. The patent of Jefferson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,934) has a removable U-shaped recess for insertion of the nail but leaves the lower fingertip free.
Except for the fingernail protector of Stanczak, these fingernail protectors appear to allow inadvertent touching of the interior of the protector with the polished surface of the nail by movement of the fingertip. These protectors also must be individually placed on the fingers.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a fingernail polish protector which has an open position for application of fingernail polish and a closed position for protection of the polished nail, which allows movement of the fingertip without damage to the polish and allows us of the lower fingertip surface while the finger is in the protector.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a glove means for donning multiple protectors prior to application of the fingernail polish.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.